Whether in Kashmir or North-East, deployment of army did not bring out any relief or peace. In some instances, by signing accords the situation was diffused, but the resentment is still smouldering. With a new government at the centre which has the backing of people and has no threats to its stability we should seek political solutions even if it means conceding what P.V.Narasimha Rao called "autonomy just short of azadi". There are limitations to what the army can do, especially in the present context where the Islamic fundamentalists have made their unwelcome entry.
Re: Army cannot get us a solution
by jasjit singh on Mar 22, 2017 09:34 AM
Dear Mr Athale, With due respect to the armed forces and their contribution to keep our borders safe, i just want to ask few questions and that is if we claim that we have won war against pakistan then why is this territory called pakistani occupied kashmir , did we loose it to pakistan.They attacked our country and taken part of our land and we say we have won war against pakistan. secondly , we lost war against china which we know very well. recently chinese army occupied our bunkers in ladakh and made us to flee .it was published in media with photographs . our generation is not all that ignorant as we think. manipulations work to certain extents.
The shrouded ploy of Anil Athale in referring to the story of his subordinates love for him is well known to all those who are serving or have served Armed forces. They know how they treat the jawans as the personal servants for them and their families. All other patriotic statements are not disputed, but justifying men in uniform to serve as servants is never justified. None of the Armies in thy world follow this, and how come the valour come only if they served the officers as servants is not clear. This is especially in view of the aware and educated people joining forces as soldiers. The colonial mindeset of the officers in Army never goes. Being a superior in Forces, if one get to enjoy the unbriddled obedience through suspending the subordinate's Freedom and Fundamental rights through Army acts why not to enjoy it is what this attitude says!! Is a soldier recruited to polish officers shoes, take his children to school, wash clothes at home, do grocery shopping and errands for his family. Is it not a waste of Govt money and demoralisation of a soldier recruited to fight in wars? No nobody opposes an officer having a buddy in war and action abut not as his household servant.
having lived an officers life in army where all front end in the war is handled by soldiers and in peacetime they live like old maharajas ( orderlies and personal chaperones) these guys have the gumption to comment on civilians as if we are deadwood). This is the height of snobbishness. I have spent time in J & K , interacted with services people closely ( especially officers) and found them to as ordinary as any working civilian. Enjoying life, drinking binge, apple polishing the superiors. And this is the truth which is never highlighted.
Col. Athale I salute you and the brave army who maintain the unity and integrity of the nation. There is always a greater threat posed to the integrity of the nation by the internal forces who are hostile to nation and who make issues out of small incidents concerning army to demoralise them. We all owe our existence to the sacrifices made by the brave soldiers. We sleep, proper and grow because we are aware of the fact that we are safe and nation is well guarded by brave armymen.
